The Ocala Police Department has collected over 1,000 worn American flags since launching its U.S. Flag Retirement Box in August of 2021.
The flag retirement program was initiated by Officer Coughlin, who is also a veteran. “When an American flag becomes worn or torn, there’s a respectful way to retire that flag. This retirement box is a way we can respect our national symbol and provide our citizens with this convenient service since we’re centrally-located,” said Coughlin.
The police department has partnered with the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4209 to respectfully retire the collected flags through a solemn and ceremonial burning.
The U.S. Flag Retirement Box is located inside the main entrance of the Ocala Police Department’s headquarters, which is located at 402 S Pine Avenue. OPD accepts flags during normal business hours, and they should be folded respectfully before being placed into the box.